Senate Votes For Witnesses Warner, Robb Each Cast Votes Along Party Lines

January 28, 1999|By DAVID LERMAN Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — Democratic Sen. Charles S. Robb voted Wednesday to dismiss the impeachment case against President Clinton, saying "the factual, legal and constitutional standard for removal of a president was not met."

Republican Sen. John W. Warner voted against dismissal, saying he did not want to "circumvent" the Senate's judicial process.

While Warner's final decision in the impeachment trial remains unknown, Robb's vote for dismissal places him squarely against removing Clinton from office.

Robb's decision had been widely predicted by Democratic officials and political analysts for weeks. Robb and Clinton remain close friends, a bond that stems from their shared experience as conservative Democratic Southern governors in the early 1980s.

Robb, in a statement, dismissed suggestions of any personal bias in evaluating the grounds for conviction.

"In spite or our personal friendship, I was fully prepared to convict and remove the president from office if I had concluded that the Constitutional standard had been met," he said.

Robb's vote carries potential political repercussions as he gears up for re-election next year. Republicans may try to accuse Robb of hypocrisy. In 1994, the senator made truthfulness a central theme in his re-election campaign when he called Republican challenger Oliver North "a snake-oil salesman who can't tell the difference between the truth and a lie."

Robb, in his statement, said he did not "in any way" condone "deliberately lying to the American people. For that charge, the president will be subject to the harsh verdict of history."

He also said he considers perjury and obstruction of justice to be "very serious charges" and noted that Clinton still could be prosecuted in court after leaving office.

But he said he concluded that Clinton's grand jury testimony amounted to "he said/she said discrepancies" that were not "perjurious beyond a reasonable doubt."

And the impeachment article alleging obstruction of justice, he said, was unconstitutionally drafted because it combined multiple allegations into a single charge.

He did not say whether he believes Clinton obstructed justice, however.

Legalisms aside, Robb has tread cautiously in the impeachment debate. He remained silent for months, saying it was important to remain an impartial juror. But the case also risks becoming politically embarrassing to the senator- perhaps even more so now that the Senate has approved deposing witnesses.

Any prolonged discussion of Oval Office trysts risks reviving memories of Robb's dalliance with a former beauty queen. In 1991, former Miss Virginia Tai Collins alleged she had an affair with Robb in the early 1980s. Robb denied a sexual affair but acknowledged receiving a nude massage.

While many senators have spoken out frequently on the Clinton case, Robb has kept a low profile. Even after Wednesday's historic vote, Robb stayed true to form, remaining holed up in his office for much of the afternoon crafting his written statement.

When he emerged Wednesday evening with statement in hand, Robb paused when asked if he fears any political consequences from his impeachment decision.

"I'm not unaware of political consequences in things that I do," he said. "But I make a concerted effort to render whatever judgment I think is appropriate."

He recalled his vote in support of the Persian Gulf War in 1991, when public opinion was running against U.S. intervention.

"If the cause is unpopular but I believe I'm on the right side of it, that's when I feel I'm making a difference," he said.

For Warner, a GOP conservative with an independent streak, a verdict in the Clinton case carries different political perils. A move to acquit the president could inflame his party's right wing, which tried to oust him two years ago. Yet a decision to convict Clinton could anger many independent voters, with whom Warner remains popular.

But Warner still has time to decide. In arguing against an early dismissal of the case, Warner said, "I do not think the work of the Senate should be circumvented midway through. I feel very strongly about that."

And he insisted the trial could remain credible despite Wednes-day's votes, which fell almost cleanly along party lines. Warner is helping to craft a measure that would allow the Senate to issue "findings of fact" in the Clinton case that could condemn the president's actions while stopping short of removing him from office.

"I can assure you there's a lot of bipartisanship going on," he said.

Warner, like all Republicans, also voted to subpoena witnesses, which promises to extend the trial for weeks. Robb, like all Democrats but one - Wisconsin Sen. Russell Feingold - voted against the motion.

David Lerman can be reached at (202) 824-8224 or by e-mail at dlerman@tribune.com